Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has lauded his teammates for helping him to seamlessly adapt to the national team.
The Chippa United shot-stopper was capped just once before being invited to the Super Eagles squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) in the Ivory Coast.
However, he became Nigeria's starting goalkeeper at the tournament, with coach Jose Peseiro trusting him over hitherto first-choice Francis Uzoho.
Nwabali went on to enjoy a memorable tournament, keeping four clean sheets in seven matches as the Super Eagles finished as runners-up at the AFCON after losing to hosts Ivory Coast in the final.
‘My confidence comes from my teammates’
The 27-year-old’s performances have since been praised by many, with his aerial ability, agility and command at the back making him stand out.
Speaking about how seamlessly he settled in the national team, Nwabali credited his Super Eagles teammates for helping him to build his confidence.
He cited the presence of many leaders in the team as a positive, insisting they played a key role in bringing out the best in him.
“The confidence comes from my teammates. To have a lot of leaders in the team who always guide me, even when things are not going well, they go the extra mile to talk to me,” Nwabali told Arise News.
“Sometimes, before I even find the information from the coaches, they always tell me what to do because they’ve been there before me. So I really appreciate them all. I give them credit for my calmness and how I played this tournament.”
Stanley Nwabali says Super Eagles teammates are his guide
Nwabali was, however, quick to admit that being thrust into the starting line-up despite his inexperience with the Super Eagles wasn’t as easy as it looked.
According to the former Enyimba goalkeeper, he only became comfortable in the national team due to the guidance of his international teammates.
“Starting is quite difficult but talking about how I play at this AFCON, for me it’s the help I got from my teammates, to be honest,” he said.
“These guys really tried for me, guided me. Apart from my teammates, my management also guided me. A first AFCON is usually difficult for some goalkeepers.
“My teammates always encourage me that I can do better. ‘[They say] you’ve seen training, you’ve seen a couple of friendly games, you just need to be yourself and play your football.’”
Meanwhile, Nwabali’s impressive performance in the AFCON has led to rumours of a transfer away from South African side Chippa United.
